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The Colorado Department of Agriculture has money to assist farmers who want to use hydropower.

The Colorado Agricultural Irrigation Hydropower Program helps agriculture. producers add hydropower to new or existing irrigation systems on their lands. It’s a good idea for a lot of reasons.

“This program can increase water use efficiency, and also water quality. In addition to that it can reduce energy use and energy costs on their farms as well as in many cases labor costs.”

Sam Anderson Energy Specialist with the Colorado Department of Agriculture. He says especially in a dry year like this hydropower can extend limited resources further.

The application deadline is October 19. Anderson says they are still working to get the word out after identifying about 5 thousand irrigated fields in Colorado with the resources to install hydropower.